AZ Ratings

Sub-a-dub-dub, five Tacos and Tund.

 

Looks like fun. Where do you pick up this trail at?

 

lovin this read

 

I was close to China Dam, but it's a trail that goes north of where I was. I headed due East. Still some pinstriping factor to get back there to the turnoff to the dam and the old fort.

 

But it's tight. I have pinstriping on my roof and hood from this 200' section alone, and of course all up and down both sides and my mirrors. Some strong branches hanging low that will do some deep gouging. Not recommended for full size trucks or people who don't want permanent damage to their clearcoat and probably paint.

 

What's smiley rock rated?

Read all the pages and it was only mentioned

 

This looks like the way we took three tundras at night.

Can confirm deep scratches for full size. But fuck it in the name of fun.

 

Go big or go home

 

Its right after you cross the lakebed where Humbug Creek dumps into the lake (dry when the lake is low).

https://www.google.com/maps/place/33°56'58.4"N+112°16'33.9"W/@33.9495485,-112.2768477,201m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.949547!4d-112.276092

This part was washed out and skinny, too. It's some old land dam and it's eroding heavily on the south edge. I was hugging the trees pretty hard on the left to not lose a tire over the edge. Would have been a good 10-15' rollover down that bank if it crumbled.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.954165!4d-112.25625

 

Here's a map I made to the China Dam area, the Tule Ruins, and the Indian Mesa ruins. All accessible from Carefree Highway to Castle Hot Springs road and around the northwest side of Lake Pleasant.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mp_UXphjW3yrYopIYcXtSk3coLM&usp=sharing

 

The darker orange track in the map is the route I took that has the tight sections. Stick to the lighter orange and you're good to go. Just thought I'd show both ways. This route was from Hike Arizona, and those waypoints are correct. I actually looked at the hiker pics of those tracks and they show pics of the dam and the Tule ruins. I personally did the Indian Mesa ruins hike so I know that one is accurate. I haven't been to China Dam or Tule though.

 

How's the trail with only 2wd?

 

It crosses Table Mesa in at least one spot. Right now the water is low so you could go all the way through to the I-17 but there was a nasty drop down into the Agua Fria on the topo maps that I didn't explore. Plus with yesterday's rains, the riverbed probably has some water and that silty lakebed mud in it right now which would be a sticky mess. Hard to say.

 

There's one spot right before you cross Humbug Creek that has a gate you have to go around, and it drops down a section of larger river rock that may be tricky in 2wd to get back out of. It's a 100' stretch of suitcase-size boulders and it's at a bit of an angle. There are a few small washout spots that get off camber, so it depends on your offroad experience with 2wd.

If you guys ever want to get a group together and go run it all, I'm game. It's close to home for me. I've got plenty of recovery gear to get any 2wd guys through any of the spots. I've been meaning to check out China Dam and the Tule fort ruins for some time, I just keep forgetting to bring the map to those 2 spots. The whole area is a good playground to stretch out and test suspensions, traction, taking new angles, etc. without putting your rig in any real jeopardy.

 

Everyone hear the man?

Be ready for a TW trip soon

Worse case scenario, would you mind saving me? I really do wanna see what my truck's limitations are.

 

No problem. I've got winch, tow straps, etc. I bet we could get you through everything in 2wd though. Good lines and a little skinny pedal.

 

@SamGoingHam Your truck is pretty capable with a little momentum and confidence in that right foot.